Minority Characters

[Rosewood]

You can say it out loud and show it by example. People can set aside their differences Rosewood, but it is also important to respect the differences of others as well. But one of the things I respect about Sesame Street is that they do not just talk about it or show it, but they live it.

Sometimes it is peoples opinions that help make this country what it is, and no two people in this world have the exact same opinion. It's not enought for people to just set aside there differences, but for people to see past as well as respect those differences in each other.

Oscar said that one of the things that sesame teaches kids is to respect the differences of others(not Excluding anybody) and not to just set them aside. America is more about exception, not rejection, which is one of the reasons many people come to this country every year, from other places.

The Grouch has spoken.

Please refere to the definition of "respect" in Websters dictionary. It is very self explanitory and to the point. Respect is also something that is earned, not just given, if it is TRUE respect. When I wrote what I did about America, it was simply a suggestion, (thinking out of the box, if you will), regarding a possible way this country could possibly improve itself; and, in a way, I guess it was all just an opinion. But if opinions are truely as important as you say they are, as well as respect, than all I ask is that you respect my opinion by aknowledging it without attacking it, and I will do the same for you. I, myself, never meant for anything I have written in this thread to come across as hostile or attacking. Just simply as suggestive or based on fact. How it's interperated is up to the reader.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

You said thet America would be a better place if people set aside their difference, and I'm saying that America would be a better place if people if people embraced those differences, also, in ordered to get respect, you have to give respect, like for the differences in others, and giving and showing respect is earning respect. This is one way that I think would make Amecica a better place.

not trying to attack you or come off as hostile, just stating my opion.

 

[Censored]

I'd settle for a muppet that doesn't speak ANY English or Spanish, or has some other difference, like can't hear or see. (If the Two-Headed Monster became a regular character that the other characters interacted with, that would work) They don't need to push it, but they do need to show it.

Doing this, though, loses the benefit to kids who could identify directly, like I remember doing with Maria.

They did have an adult human character who could not read or write on at least one episode.


The Two-Headed Monster was an interesting character. I always kind of felt empathy for them because their plight appeared kind of sad, maybe it's because there are a very small number of people in the world who are really like that. I know that the main reason they created the character was to teach kids about cooperation, but I wonder if anyone was thinking that they could also be a character that Siamese twins could relate to. It may sound kind of funny to say that, but the truth is that there are some children (albeit a small number) who have to live with such a reality every day.

 

[Rosewood]

Mabey your right.......

You said thet America would be a better place if people set aside their difference, and I'm saying that America would be a better place if people if people embraced those differences, also, in ordered to get respect, you have to give respect, like for the differences in others, and giving and showing respect is earning respect. This is one way that I think would make Amecica a better place.

not trying to attack you or come off as hostile, just stating my opion.

Mabey your right here and I am wrong. Or mabey we are both right. I'm willing to aknowledge your opinion and take it into concideration. When I made the statement "setting aside our defferences" in no way did I mean forgetting them. All I was trying to say is that, as of late, I feel that segregation has been growing stronger here in the U.S.A. I feel it in my city, my state, and my neigborhood where I live. I even see it happening in my own religion, where people are no longer going to church based on where they live (for this specific religion) but rather based on weather you are white, or black, or latino. I see huge ethnic groups formimg all over the U.S. Rather than becoming aquainted with EVERYONE who lives around them, people are simply choosing to become aquainted and associated with their "own kind". It's frustrating! Along my own subdivision, we have a massive example of segragation - on my street alone, we have a single lady across the street, a group of bikers next door to her, a very reclusice family next to them, and next to them, a gay couple. My "better half" and I held a "get to know your neigbor party" this summer out on our front lawn, a "street party" if you will. We sent out invitations to every one along our street. We even provided the main dish for the food. Our goal was to get every one to know each other. You know who showed up? The reclusive couple! That was it! It was as if no one had any interest in getting to know each other. THAT kind of situation is what I was refering to when I said we should lay our differences aside and become united as a country. Like you said, SS already lives it. Wouldn't it be great if we could get our own neiborhoods to do the same?

 

[Rosewood]

Thats very true.

They did have an adult human character who could not read or write on at least one episode.


The Two-Headed Monster was an interesting character. I always kind of felt empathy for them because their plight appeared kind of sad, maybe it's because there are a very small number of people in the world who are really like that. I know that the main reason they created the character was to teach kids about cooperation, but I wonder if anyone was thinking that they could also be a character that Siamese twins could relate to. It may sound kind of funny to say that, but the truth is that there are some children (albeit a small number) who have to live with such a reality every day.

The one thing I have always liked about the two-headed monster is the fact that it/they always seem to have hope, and embrace the way they are. They never look at the fact that they are permanantly stuck together as a curse. I think that would give any person who has to deal with such a problem a boost of confidence, and help to wipe away any feeling of hoplesness that may grab hold once in a while.

 

[BEAR]

I don't think Two Headed Monster was intended to say anything about siamese twins. I think they were just meant to be a comic relief. The way they would relate to each other and disagree and then finally cooperate, and then the times they would try to walk in opposite directions, it was funny. I think that was the only "statement" they were making and nothing about representing the reality of Siamese twins. Of course, I am not Dave Connell, so I don't know that for sure.

 

[Hays]

But I DO think that they're used to illustrate language differences; they always struck me as being based on a foreign New York tourist - and I think that's a good thing, since Americans struggle so much with language differences.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Mabey your right here and I am wrong. Or mabey we are both right. I'm willing to aknowledge your opinion and take it into concideration. When I made the statement "setting aside our defferences" in no way did I mean forgetting them. All I was trying to say is that, as of late, I feel that segregation has been growing stronger here in the U.S.A. I feel it in my city, my state, and my neigborhood where I live. I even see it happening in my own religion, where people are no longer going to church based on where they live (for this specific religion) but rather based on weather you are white, or black, or latino. I see huge ethnic groups formimg all over the U.S. Rather than becoming aquainted with EVERYONE who lives around them, people are simply choosing to become aquainted and associated with their "own kind". It's frustrating! Along my own subdivision, we have a massive example of segragation - on my street alone, we have a single lady across the street, a group of bikers next door to her, a very reclusice family next to them, and next to them, a gay couple. My "better half" and I held a "get to know your neigbor party" this summer out on our front lawn, a "street party" if you will. We sent out invitations to every one along our street. We even provided the main dish for the food. Our goal was to get every one to know each other. You know who showed up? The reclusive couple! That was it! It was as if no one had any interest in getting to know each other. THAT kind of situation is what I was refering to when I said we should lay our differences aside and become united as a country. Like you said, SS already lives it. Wouldn't it be great if we could get our own neiborhoods to do the same?

I am sorry for my jerkeyness Rosewood, I was the one who was being judgemental about you, and I now see the error of my ways and completely understand where you are coming from, and wholehartedly agree with you. I too konw what it feels like for segeration to rear it's ugly head on the people on this great country that we call America, and lets just face it, it's painful for everybody. I now realize that you were only trying to bring people together.

We could just be saying the same thing and not realise it. Lets say the You and I were friends, and you liked Big Bird and I liked Snuffy. well, we both respect the fact that each of us likes a different character, but we don't let the fact jeoparidze out frindship.

We have both just sucessfully respected each others opinions and put aside our differences when it came to our frendship, and it did not tear us apart, but brought us and kept us closer together. That is what I think Sesame street is about.

Mabey Sesame Street is not about just respecting differences, or setting aside difference, but about working out differences, or all three. I know that Sesame Street teaches is no matter what who you are or wher your from, that that does mean that you can't get along or be friends with somebody and that you can also appreciate the uniqueness of every individual that makes them who they are, and no two people are exactly alike.

Differences do seperate people, and I thought the reason for that was partly due to a missunderstanding, and I felt that Sesame Street was trying to feel that void by helping children understand those differences, and why they may be differtent, and through that understanding, they could respect those differences, and still be who they are, but because they are different, they can see past that and get along and even be good friends with other human beings.

It's like that that sketch with those two little girls who's mothers were braiding their hair different ways, when the girls saw each others hair, they both thought the way the other ones hair was briaded was wrong, and it esclated to the point were they both desided not to be friends anymore. then both of their mothers came in and when they found out what the problem was, they explained that even thow they both have different hair styles, that didn't mean that they couldn't be friends anymore. When they relised this they noticed how pretty each others hair was and apologized to each to each other.

I guess I see what you meant when you said that we should set aside our differences, seeing consequiences of what can happen if you don't, but once the mother helped them understand that people can have some differences and still be friends, they not only remained friends, but they learned to appreciate that about each other.

I know that with adults, it is more complex than that, seeing that they are already set in their ways.

You are a beautiful person and I was totally wrong about you.

Much love, Ilikemuppets.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

But I DO think that they're used to illustrate language differences; they always struck me as being based on a foreign New York tourist - and I think that's a good thing, since Americans struggle so much with language differences.

Maybe monsters have a language of their own. it always struck me that Big Bird spoke english, enen if it was for the benefit of children at home.

 

[superfan]

Big Bird can translate the language of any feathered creature he happens to meet on SS be it chicken, duck or a generic songbird. Not bad for a 6 year old.